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What Do torrid and Toast Have in Common?
Hot, steamy, sultry: English is full of words that do double-duty in describing thirst traps both literal (as in the tropics) and figurative (as in, well, thirst traps). Torrid comes from the Latin verb torrēre, which means “to burn” or “to parch” and is an ancestor of our word toast. (Despite its dry implications, torrēre is also an ancestor of torrent, as in “a torrent of rain.”) Torrid first appeared in English in the 16th century and was originally used to describe something burned or scorched by exposure to the sun, but it has since taken on an extended meaning similar to the “sexy” sense of hot: “showing fiery passion,” as in “torrid love letters” or “a torrid affair.”
Examples of torrid in a Sentence
Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Mar. 2025
In a torrid opening round for the 40-year-old contender, Cannonier was dropped twice by the heavy-handed Brazilian, whose striking had the American fighter in big trouble early.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 16 Feb. 2025
Green is no stranger to torrid shooting performances.
—Joseph Dycus, The Mercury News, 13 Feb. 2025
That was vital, because Dortmund have endured a torrid season and are naturally fragile.
—Elias Burke, The Athletic, 11 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for torrid
Cite this Entry
“Torrid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/torrid. Accessed 16 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
from Latin torridus "dried or burnt by heat, torrid," derived from torrēre "to heat so as to dry up or burn" — related to torrent
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